The brand new National Talent Academy for Animation (NTAA) has opened for registration and aims to increase the number of skilled staff in the sector. An initiative of Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland, the Academy is a major development for the Irish animation industry that seeks to further enhance the country’s reputation as a global hub for animation production. Led by Animation Ireland, the Academy will be providing mentorship programs, workshops, masterclasses, placements, networking opportunities, support and advice to the animation community.
‘’I am looking forward to working with the industry and stakeholders to help drive the future of Irish animation. We will be encouraging people from all backgrounds, regions and walks of life to consider animation as a career, with a particular focus on diversity and inclusion. As long as you have the talent and the work ethic, there should be an opportunity out there for you,” said producer Deirdre Barry, who has been appointed Program Director.
‘’There has never been a better time to work in the animation industry. Ireland has developed an international reputation over the years for developing high quality programming, and some of the world’s greatest animation studios are based here, with creative talent that can rival any country in the world. With the number of projects currently in production and in development, there is an unprecedented demand for Irish-based talent and we will showcase animation as a viable and highly rewarding career path.”
The first programs are scheduled to begin in the coming months with the launch of the NTAA Mentorship Program, featuring Mentors from eight key areas of production: Intellectual Property Development, Scriptwriting, Storyboarding, Design, Editing, Music Composition, VFX and Studio Set-up. The NTAA Mentors are all experts in their field and a callout will be going out shortly for potential Mentees who wish to progress further in these areas under the guidance of an industry expert.
Learn more and register at nationaltalentacademy-animation.ie.
The Academy’s launch comes at a promising time for Ireland’s content economy. The industry is buzzing with well received hits and highly anticipated projects. Oscar-nominated studio Cartoon Saloon is notably on a roll with its critically acclaimed Apple TV+ movie Wolfwalkers, Greenpeace short There’s a Monster in My Kitchen and contributions to Studio Chizu’s celebrated feature Belle.
The Kilkenny studio previously delivered The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea and The Breadwinner, and is currently working on Nora Twomey’s adaptation of My Father’s Dragon for Netflix.
“Content production is experiencing a new era of creativity and ambition, and Ireland is contributing in its own, unique way,” said Jack Callaghan, SVP Digital Technologies, Enterprise Ireland. “By virtue of scale, Irish production firms are preconditioned to partnerships; our education and investment infrastructures are geared for creativity; entrepreneurship and artistic independence are incubated at a national level; and, of course, we’re a nation of storytellers with ancient and vibrant traditions.”
Enterprise Ireland is Ireland’s innovation agency and the venture capital arm of the Irish government. It is one of the world’s largest seed-stage VCs by deal flow and is dedicated to supporting Irish start-ups in their global ambitions. Through a network of more than 40 international offices, Enterprise Ireland supports a portfolio of 1,300 startups, including 60 cyber companies, with over $260M in annual revenue.
